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- Title
Nesting characteristics of three turtle species along a wetland matrix in western Pennsylvania, USA.
- Authors
HUGHES, DANIEL F.; JOHNSTON, KATRINA; MESHAKA JR., WALTER E.
- Abstract
We studied nesting activities and measured afternoon nest-temperatures of the midland painted turtle (Chrysemyspicta marginata), common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina), and eastern box turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) from a wetland matrix during May-November 2013 at the Powdermill Nature Reserve in western Pennsylvania, USA. Nesting turtles were encountered during a 36-day period (2 June-8 July). The aquatic turtle species nesting season spanned 17 days (2-18 June). In general, nests were located in areas lacking extensive vegetation and near wetlands. Across all species, successful nests constituted 15% (n = 5), abandoned nests 53% (n = 18), and depredated nests 32% (n = 11). Nest losses to predation were highest for C. s. serpentina at 75% (6/8 nests). Mean nest temperatures were lowest for C. p. marginata and T. c. Carolina. Nest successes were highest for C. s. serpentina at 42% (19/45 eggs) and hatchlings emerged from these nests by late August. By the first freeze in November, 40% (4/10 eggs) of T. c. Carolina eggs hatched and hatchlings remained in the nest to overwinter, whereas none of the eight C. p. marginata eggs had hatched by then. Our results from a single site are comparable to findings from other regions and for Pennsylvania generally. Our findings also provide the basis for examining responses in nesting phenology to environmental perturbations, most relevant being climate change.
- Subjects
TURTLE anatomy; TURTLE behavior; TURTLE ecology; TURTLE reproduction; TURTLE nests
- Publication
Herpetological Bulletin, 2017, Issue 141, p16
- ISSN
1473-0928
- Publication type
Article